Coin separating and counting mechanism



Ap 1931- E. P. DONNELLAN COIN SEPARATING AND COUNTING MECHANISM FiledMay 11, 1928 3 Shets-Sheet 1 IQNVENTOR. pound/42V April 7, 1931- E. P.DONNELLAN 1,799,786

COIN SEPARATING AND COUNTING MECHANISM Filed May 11, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet2 V 1 .1 I Z I l fl z 2! 37 T 1 7 l as 37 INVENTOR.

jimri 2,20 11776271014 A ril 7,1931. E. P. DONNELLAN 1,799,736

con: SEPARATING AND COUNTING MECHANISM 7 Filed May 11, 1928 5Sheets-Sheet 5 I 2 /0 f If IN V EN TOR.

Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD P. DONNELLAN,OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD-JOHNSON COMPANY, INC., OFBROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK COIN SEPARAJTING ANDCOUNTING MECHANISM Application filed May 11, 1928.

ried on in a substantially simultaneous manner.

The present invention has for its principal ob ect to provide inconnection with com separating or asserting drop-out discharge openingsof a coin separator, having an inclined movable recessed conveyor plateto deliver the coins to said discharge openings, a novel constructionand arrangement of means with which the discharged coins engage inpassing, whereby the same are caused to actuate registers or counters sothat the several denominations of coins are counted while they are beingassorted or separated. To this end the instant invention provides arelatively simple, compact and easily operated unitary mechanism wherebythe operations of assorting and counting mixed coin may be rapidly andcontinuously carried on.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularlyenumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detaileddescription of the same.

The invention is illustrated in the accom- 36 panying drawings, in whichmentary view of a modified power transmission means'which may beutilized to move the coins in actuating relation to the counting means;Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on line 33 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a bottomplan view ofthe mechanism; Fig. 5 is a developed section through theouter discharge openings of the machine showing the coin actuatedcounting mechanism for the different denominations of coin, said viewbemg generally on line 5-5 of Fig.4; Fig. 6

Serial No. 276,853.

is a fragmentary enlarged section on line 66 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is atransverse section on line 7-7 in Fig. 6.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the abovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character 10 indicates abed-plate which is mounted on supporting standards 11 preferably in suchmanner as to be inclined at an angle of approximately forty-fivedegrees. Said bed-plate 10 is preferably of circular shape and isprovided at its under side with a central bearing hub 12. Journaled insaid bearing hub 12 is a spindle 13, upon the upper end of which isfixed, so as to be rotated thereby, a carrier or conveyor 14:, whichlies contiguous to the upper surface of said bedplate so as to berotatably slidable thereover. The means for rotating said spindle 13 andcarrier or conveyor plate 14 comprises a drive shaft 15 suitably mountedin bearings 16 and adapted to be driven either by hand or from anysuitable source of power such as an electric motor (not shown). Fixed onsaid drive shaft 15 is a drive worm 17 which meshes with and drives aworm gear 18 rigidly connected with said spindle 13. The carrier orconveyor plate 14 is provided with suitably disposed annular rows ofopen coin carrying or propelling recesses or pockets, which, in the formand arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings, comprise anouter row of recesses or pockets 19 of a. diameter slightly in excess ofthe size of the largest coin, viz the half-dollar, and an inner row ofrecesses or pockets 20 of somewhat smaller diameter, the same preferablybeing slightly in excess of the size of a quarter-dollar. WVhen thusarranged the outer row of recesses or pockets 19 will receive and conveyall sizes of coins from a dime to a. half-dollar inclusive, and theinner row of recesses or pockets will only receive and convey the sizesof coils from a dime to a quarter-dollar inclusive. The up-tilted endportion of the bed-plate 10 is provided with an outer row of drop-outdischarge openings progressively graded in width to respectively passcoins of the size of dimes, pennies, nickles, quarters and halfdollars,said openings being respectively in dicated by the reference characters21, 22, 23, 2d and 25; said outer row of drop-out discharge openings isaligned with the outer row of recesses or pockets 19 of the carrier orconveyer plate 14. Tnwardly spaced from said outer row of drop-outdischarge openings is an inner row of similar drop-out dischargeopenings formed in said bet": plate 10 and progressively graded in widthto respectively pass coins of the size of dimes, pennies, nickels andquarters, said openings being respectively designated by the referencecharacters 21, 22, 23 and 24" said inner row of dropout dischargeopenings is aligned with the inner row of recesses or pockets 20 of thecarrier or conveyer plate 14. Secured to the lower or down-tilted end ofsaid bed-plate 10, and at the upward face thereof, is a substantiallysemi-circular receiving hopper 26 to surround the lower moving end orside of the carrier or conveyer plate 14. the same serving to receiveand hold a mass of mixed coins subject to the picking-up action of therecesses or pockets of the carrier or conveyer plate 14, which serves tosuccessively deliver the mixed coins to and over the discharge dropoutopenings whereby the same are separated according to their respectivedenominations.

Connected with the underside of the bottom plate 10 to underlie eachdischarge dropout opening thereof is a runway or chute 27 so shaped asto turn the coins entering or dropping into the sam from initialhorizontal or fiat disposition to vertical or edgewise disposition asthe coins move therethrough to the free end thereof for discharge therefrom. Connected with each set of runways or chutes 27 which serve agiven denomination of coin are bearing members 28 to journal radialshafts 29 transversely disposed adjacent to. the discharge mouth of therunways or chutes. These shafts 29 may be rotated from the centralspindle 13 in a suitable manner. For example, the lower end of saidspindle 13 may be provided with a bevel drive gear 30 which meshes withpinions 31 fixed on the respective shafts 29, as shown in l and l; ortheshafts 29 may be jourled in spring-pressed bearings 28 and said spindle18 may ne provided with friction drive disc 30 which cooperates withfriction rollers 31 fixed on the respective shafts 29, in the mannerindicated in Figs. 2 and 8 of the di awings, or any other suitable meansfor driving said shafts 29 may be employed.

Fixed on each shaft 29 to enter the runways or chutes 27 served therebyat one side of the latter are rollers 32. Thewalls of said chutes orrunways 27 are cut away to permit the said rollers 32 to lie in and atone side of the path of movement of said coins descending through saidchutes or runways 27. The side of each runway or chute 27 whichisopposed to tie roller cooperating therewith is cut away to receive atrip lever mechanism to be actuated by coins engaged by said roller whendescending through the chute or runway and prior to ejection therefrom.The trip lever mechanism comprises suitable bearing brackets 33associated with each set of runways or chutes 27 which serve a givendenomination of coin. Mounted in said hearing brackets 33 arerock-sl1afts 34, and fixed on said rock-shafts 3 1 are trip levers 85which extend downwardly in opposition to the corresponding rollers 32.These trip levers 35 arepreferabl inwardly curved or inclined so thattheir free ends are spaced from the opposed rollers 32 for a distanceless than the diameter of a given coin to beserved by the particularrunways with which said rollers and trip levers are associated.Connected with each rock-shaft is a suitably attached s ings means 36for yieldably holding the t -o-ievers 35 in normal inwardly swungpositions. Connected wit 1 the runway or chute structure serving eachdenomination of coin is a supporting shelf 87 upon which is mounted acoin register or counter device 38 having any well known arrangement ofcountwheels and actuating lever 39 by means of which counting wheelmechanism is actuated. Fined on each rock-shaft 34; is a trip finger 40to engage and operate the actuating levers 39 of the respectivecorresponding re ister or counter devices, whenever a coin descends agiven runway or chute 27 and is thrust, in passing into actuatingrelation to the trip lever 85 by a corresponding roller 32.

in the operation of coin separator and counting mechanism constructed asabove described, a quantity of mixed coins are dumped into the hopper 26and upon the rotating carrier or conveyer plate 14 The rotation of thecarrier or conveyer plate 14 will convey upward all coins engaged in therecesses 19 and 20, whereby the coins are carried to and are caused tomove flatwise over the dropout discharge openings 21 and 25 inclusiveand 21 to 24 inclusive, whereupon the coins will drop downwardlyv out ofthe re cesses when the latter register over a drop out discharge openingsized to accommodate their particular diameters. The coins will thus bedelivered by the drop-out discharge openings into the proper chutes orrunways 27 assigned to their particular denominations. ach coin indescending its proper chute or runway 27 will first be turned from itshorizontal or fiat to a vertical or edgewise position ere it arrives atthe lower end of the chute orrunway, and consequently will be presentedfor edgewise passage between the roller 32 and trip lever 35 of theparticular chute or runway traversed thereby. The mo ment a coin engagesbetween a roller 32 and an opposed trip lever 35, the rotation of theformer (as continuously driven by the trans- Gil mission meansintermediate its shaft and the main spindle 13 of the machine) willforce the coin downwardly against the yield-- able trip-lever 35,thereby causing the latter to swing outwardly against the tension of thespring means 36 thus rocking the connec ed rock-shaft 34; and at thesame time swinging the ":ipainger 40 of said shaft into operatingengagement with the actuating lever 39 of the particular register orcounter de vice corresponding to the runway or chute through which thecoin thus passes, with the result that as each coin passes through itsproper runway or chute it is counted or registered by proper registeringor counting device. It will thus be apparent that the coins passedcontinuously through the machine will be both separated according totheir several denominations and a separate count oi? each denominationrecorded all in a substantially simultaneous manner. It will also beobvious that the mechanism is exceedingly compact, and of acomparatively simple character, while being so designed as to beoperated from a single power source, whether manual or mechanical.

If desired suitable receptacles R in the form of cans or boxes may beplaced beneath the discharge end of the runways or chutes respectivelyserving ditl'erent denominations of coins, or any other suitable,convenient or well known means may be provided for the reception ofcoins which by the operation of the driven rollers 32 are ejected fromthe runways or chutes after having been propelled past and in operatingengagement with the trip lever mechanisms serving said runways or chutesand corresponding coin register or counting devices.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention and havedescribed the same in the above specification merely in preferred formand by way of example, but ohviously many alterations and variations maybe made therein and in its mode of application, which will still becomprised within its spirit. Generally speaking, I desire it to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to any specific form orembodiment, except in so far as is specified in the here-followingclaims.

1. In a machine of the kind described, a counting register, a pivotedtrip lever for actuating the same, an impeller roller opposed to saidtrip lever, said trip lever having a curved free end portion normallyconverging upon said roller, and means for guiding coins edgewisebetween said trip lever and roller,- whereby said roller rotates a coinin rolling contact with and past said trip lever to effect registeractuating movement of the latter.

2. In a machine of the kind described, a counting register having anactuating lever, a pivoted trip lever having a finger to operativelyengage said register actuating lever,

an impeller roller opposed to said trip lever, said trip lever having acurved free end portion, spring means for turning said trip lever tonormal initial position with its free curved end portion converging onthe periphery of said roller, and means for guiding coins edgewisebetween said trip lever and roller, whereby said roller rotates a coinin rolling contact with and past said trip lever to effect registeroperating movement thereof.

In a machine of the kind described, coin runways for coins of variousdenominations, driven impeller rollers, said rollers being re spectivelymounted relative to said runways so that their peripheries are exposedat sides of the latter for engagement by coins entered in the same, saidrunways being of such cross sectional shape as to present coins edgewiseto the peripheries of said rollers, pivoted trip levers having curvedfree end portions bounding said runways in opposition to said rollers,said trip levers having spring means to urge their free curved ends intopositions converging on said rollers, said rollers being adapted to urgecoins entered in said runways into rolling contact with the free curvedends of said trip levers to turn the latter on their pivots and at thesame time eject said coins from said runways, counting registers, andmeans actuated by turning movement of said trip levers for operatingsaid counting reglsters.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 2nd day of May, 1928.

EDIVARD P. DONNELLAN.

